I'm struggling for a way to put this mildly, but Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte wasn't a huge fan of NFL Network's Top 100 Players of 2014 list. Which is a minor understatement akin to saying Chicago was a touch cold this winter.
Forte took issue with being ranked the 91st best player in the NFL. And for the record, most football enthusiasts with common sense (myself included) thought this was kind of a low rating, too. So you can imagine my nervousness when Madden released its ratings for the top five running backs. I was prepared for Forte to be behind guys like Marshawn Lynch, Frank Gore and Reggie Bush just like he was on the Top 100 show.
Well forgive me, I need to give my man and 'Madden NFL 15' ratings czar Donny Moore a little more credit than the players who voted in the Top 100 deal. Forte was slotted as the fourth-best in the game, holding a pretty respectable 95 rating. Here's what Moore had to say about the ranking.
"Forte is not the fastest or the most powerful back in the game, but there's nothing he can't do. His 91 SPD/92 AGI/94 ACC gives him nice physical measureables and his 96 Carry (ranked second) and 84 Catch (third) make him an every-down back in Madden and in the real world."
Now I'm not one to nitpick (hahaha, oh my god, could you imagine if I was really like that, wow?), but I have one small issue. The optimist in me would say Forte ranked third in Catch. And that's totally rad. But thankfully I'm not an optimist. Like seriously, could you imagine if I was? But just an 84 Catch is a bit too low for me. Forte is an excellent receiver and should be given a little more deference. Just saying.
But hey, he's the No. 4 running back.
So who else makes up the rest of the list? Well, there really aren't too many surprises. Adrian Peterson is the top-rated back at 98. He edged out both LeSean McCoy (97) and Jamaal Charles (97). Shady and Charles are both perfect in elusiveness with a 99 rating. Also rounding out the top five is Lynch. Which again should not be a surprise since Russell Wilson was the No. 4 quarterback in case you missed that.
Madden also released its list of top fullbacks, too. And there were some huge surprises; mostly because it's hard to believe there are five fullbacks still left in the modern NFL. They are as follows: John Kuhn (93), Mike Tolbert (92), Marcel Reece (92), Anthony Sherman (90) and Jerome Felton (88).
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